Making a Manor a Home
by RenaRoo
Summary: It has been a long time since Cassandra was home, but that could be said for almost any of them.


Prompt (anonymous): Cassandra Cain and Tim Drake for "Welcome Home"

Batman and related properties © DC Comics  
story © RenaRoo

 **Making a Manor a Home**

There was a certain strangeness to Wayne Manor when no Wayne lived there.

Ever vigilant about preservation of the grounds, Alfred had draped sheets over all of the busts, vases, and armors that decorated the ancient halls. And then had done the same for the rebuilt walls and wings that had survived the earthquake.

The earthquake that rocked Gotham to its core brought many changes, changes like herself. But they seemed to be as lonely and forgotten as the Manor itself.

"Thought I'd find you here."

Cassandra turned and looked curiously at Tim as he looked around the theater room and finally flipped on the light.

Blinking through her eyes' adjustment, Cass maintained her quirked brow at her brother. "Thought?" she asked critically.

He gave an elusive smile and shrugged. "I may monitor the motion sensors in the Manor in my freetime. Just a bit. It's not weird."

"Definitely not," Cass laughed into the palm of her hand. "So much freetime for Red Robin… or for… ' _Superboy',"_ she teased, emphasizing the large quotation marks she had for his Hong Kong nickname.

"Hardy har har," Tim replied before walking toward her.

"Never told Kon," she assured him with an easy smile.

"How benevolent of you, Miss Wayne," Tim joked. "I'm sure it's trending on twitter or something by now anyway. He'll see it. Half his family are reporters."

Lost in the pop culture references, Cass simply tilted her head and waited for a more cohesive explanation.

Tim leered at her. "You don't have a twitter?"

"Instagram?" Cass asked, holding up the smartphone that Barbara had sent her a month ago out of aggravation.

"Never got the hang of that one," Tim said, looking down to his own phone.

"Maybe should use some of that _free time,"_ Cass answered with a smirk

"You're a regular comedian, you know that?" Tim replied jokingly. "So, really, what're you doing here? Did you leave something in your room or something? Damian finally annoy you enough to make you take a break from Wayne Towers."

Rolling her eyes, Cassandra shook her head. "Damian… _not_ that bad. Stop egging each other on and you'll… be a lot more alike," she recommended.

Tim pulled a mortified look. "I don't think you've ever offended me more than with that statement right there, so I elect to ignore it," he said simply. "But, really, what's got you ghosting around Bristol tonight? I know Steph and Barbara would love your help with whatever _they're_ working on down in the cave right now."

"Maybe later," Cass sighed, running her hands over the drapes again. She could feel the fabric slide between her fingers. "Where's… _Bruce?"_

For a moment, Tim seemed genuinely caught off guard, which couldn't have pleased Cass more. She _loved_ when she baffled him.

"Japan, I think," he answered. "With Catwoman… they're both working with Mister Unknown on something. Didn't he tell you when you told him you were coming to Gotham?"

Cass hummed and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Didn't tell."

"What? Why?" Tim asked.

"Didn't tell Dick or Damian," she reminded him. "Busy with… the Architect."

"Yeah," Tim responded awkwardly. "But that was because you didn't have time after following the shipment and… And it was a month ago! You haven't talked to Bruce since then?"

Shrugging, Cass answered simply, "Longer."

Sighing, Tim pinched between his eyes and shook his head with a long sigh. "His priorities have been… a bit all over the place after the Darksied stuff. I'll talk to him about it."

"If you want to, go ahead," Cassandra offered. "But…"

"But?" Tim repeated.

"Until… _then,"_ Cass said, gripping tightly to the drape. "Don't want to see Manor… _empty,"_ she explained before yanking the sheet right off the bust of Thomas Wayne. She smiled at it then went to the next sheet and yanked it off the armchair. "Wayne Manor… needs _Waynes."_

Tim looked befuddled at first but then he smiled and grabbed a sheet himself. "Welcome home, Miss Wayne," he said as he yanked the sheet off.

"Welcome home, Mister Wayne!" Cass laughed back as they began pulling off more sheets.


End file.
